DID YOU KNOW? – JOHNNIE WALKER CHAMPIONSHIP AT GLENEAGLES
• Thomas Björn will be looking to make history by becoming the first player to successfully defend the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles, after his victory in 2011.
• The Dane won 12 months ago in a five man play-off after defeating George Coetzee, Mark Foster, Pablo Larrazábal and Bernd Wiesberger. This was the first time a European Tour event had witnessed five players in a play-off since Paul Azinger beat Glen Day, Anders Forsbrand, Mark James and Bernhard Langer, at the 1992 BMW International Open.
• Paul Lawrie made European Tour history in this Championship in 2000. Starting round one from the tenth tee, the 1999 Open Champion recorded a hole-in-one. This feat was matched by Thomas Levet in 2007. These are the only two players to begin a European Tour event with a hole-in-one.
• Since the event became part of The European Tour International Schedule in 1999, four of the winners have made this event their first victory. They are: Warren Bennett (1999), Paul Casey (2001), Søren Kjeldsen (2003) and Emanuele Canonica (2005).
• Colin Montgomerie is trying to win the one current official Scottish event on The European Tour he has yet to win. The 2010 Ryder Cup Captain claimed the Barclays Scottish Open in 1999 and the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship in 2005. His best performance in the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles was fourth in 2003 and tied fourth in 2006. Should he win he would become the oldest winner in European Tour history, aged 49 years and 64 days.
• The 2012 Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles will see seven Major Championship competing. This represents the most Major winners to play in the same year. They are: Rich Beem, Michael Campbell, Darren Clarke, Retief Goosen, Paul Lawrie, Shaun Micheel and José María Olazábal.
